corruption

VIRGINA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell can be called "professor" in January, when he'll begin teaching government and policy at a private Christian university.

Tuesday's announcement by Regent University in Virginia Beach comes after federal prosecutors dropped their corruption case against McDonnell and his wife following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn his 2014 conviction violating federal bribery law by accepting gifts from a wealthy businessman.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Several members of Virginia's congressional delegation are asking Attorney General Loretta Lynch not to bring another case against former Gov. Bob McDonnell.

In a letter recently sent to the U.S. Justice Department, Republican Rep. Scott Rigell and others say it would be "unwise and unfair" to retry McDonnell after the Supreme Court unanimously overturned his corruption conviction in June. The letter says McDonnell's family has suffered financially and emotionally over the past three years.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Lawyers for Virginia's former first lady say her corruption convictions should be vacated after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned her husband's convictions.

News outlets report that Maureen McDonnell's attorneys asked the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to vacate her convictions in a motion filed Monday. Former Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife were convicted of doing favors for a wealthy businessman for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans. The high court overturned his conviction and sent it back to the appeals court.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A federal appeals court has put former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's corruption case on hold to give prosecutors and defense attorneys more time to analyze the Supreme Court ruling.

The high court overturned McDonnell's corruption conviction in June, saying his actions were distasteful but didn't necessarily violate federal bribery laws. The case was returned to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to decide whether there's enough evidence for another trial.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Top Virginia Republicans have asked the Justice Department to stop trying to convict former Gov. Bob McDonnell of corruption.

House Speaker William Howell and Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment said in a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch Friday that prosecuting McDonnell again will "unnecessarily disrupt" the state and be costly to taxpayers.

McDonnell was convicted in 2014 of doing favors for a wealthy businessman in exchange for gifts and loans.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's appeal of his public corruption convictions has gotten support from former lawyers for Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

Media outlets report that Greg Craig, former White House counsel for Obama, and John M. Quinn, former counsel to Clinton, were among the signers of 11 amicus briefs that support McDonnell's position in his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell asked a judge for mercy for his wife, as well as himself, before being sentenced to two years in prison for public corruption.

It was a much lighter sentence than prosecutors wanted. And legal experts say it likely foreshadows similar treatment for Maureen McDonnell when she's sentenced next month for her role in the bribery scandal.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A judge has lowered the sentencing guideline range for former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to about 6 1/2 years to 8 years in federal prison for his public corruption convictions.

The U.S. Probation Office had calculated a range of 10 to 12 years, which prosecutors agreed with.

U.S. District Judge James Spencer said Tuesday that an "obstruction of justice" enhancement shouldn't count toward those guidelines, saying McDonnell shouldn't be punished for giving testimony that the jury did not believe.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The public corruption case against former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, is in the hands of a federal jury.

The seven-man, five-woman jury left the courtroom to begin deliberations Tuesday after hearing nearly two hours of instructions from U.S. District Judge James Spencer. The jury heard from dozens of witnesses over a five-week trial.

The McDonnells are charged with doing special favors for Jonnie Williams, the former CEO of dietary supplements maker Star Scientific Inc., in exchange for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -Closing arguments are set for Friday morning in the public corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen.

The last witness Thursday was an FBI agent who testified that the McDonnells were together 90 percent of the nights during the 22 months that were the focus of the investigation. The testimony is intended to undercut a defense claim that the McDonnells' marriage was so fractured they couldn't have engaged in a conspiracy.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Testimony has wrapped up in the public corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen. Closing arguments are set for Friday morning.

The last witness Thursday was an FBI agent who testified that the McDonnells were together 90 percent of the nights during the 22 months that were the focus of the investigation. The testimony is intended to undercut a defense claim that the McDonnells' marriage was so fractured they couldn't have engaged in a conspiracy.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Defense lawyers have finished presenting their case to a jury in the corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen.

Lawyers for the couple wrapped up their case Wednesday. Closing arguments are likely to happen Friday.

The McDonnells are charged in a 14-count indictment with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from the former CEO of a dietary supplements maker in exchange for promoting his company's products. They could face decades in prison if convicted.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The defense for former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has rested its case in his public corruption trial.

His lawyer, Henry Asbill, told the judge Wednesday that he would not call further witnesses in his client's defense. The move comes after McDonnell testified in his own defense for more than four days. The former governor acknowledged bad judgment but firmly denied any criminal wrongdoing.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Prosecutors are questioning former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell about his friendship with a Virginia businessman whose generosity is at the heart of the ex-governor's corruption trial.

McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, are charged with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for promoting his company's tobacco-based dietary supplement.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is facing sharp questions from prosecutors about details of his personal finances at his public corruption trial.

As the trial entered its fifth week, prosecutors began their cross-examination of McDonnell. He and his wife, Maureen, are charged with providing special favors to a wealthy businessman in exchange for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans.

The pointed questions prompted long pauses and lengthy explanations from McDonnell, who was admonished by the judge to just "answer the question."

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell says his wife eventually agreed to take medication and undergo mental health counseling amid concerns about her frequent outbursts toward him and her staff.

McDonnell was questioned by his wife's lawyer Monday in federal court in Richmond. The McDonnells are charged with providing special favors to a wealthy vitamin executive who gave him and his family more than $165,000 in gifts and loans.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell says he did not think it was inappropriate to take a $50,000 loan from a Virginia businessman to help cover the ownership costs of vacation rental properties.

McDonnell was back on the witness stand Friday for the third straight day as his public corruption trial resumed in federal court in Richmond.

The former governor and his wife are charged with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for promoting his company's dietary supplements.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is telling jurors that his time in public office took a toll on his marriage.

Separate Lives

McDonnell went back on the witness stand Thursday as his public corruption trial resumed in federal court in Richmond. He said his wife, Maureen, developed something of a separate life from him as she raised their five children and he devoted time to being a state legislator, Army Reservist and lawyer in private practice.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A forensic accountant hired as a defense witness will be back on the stand when the corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, resumes in federal court in Richmond.

The accountant testified Tuesday that the McDonnells and the former governor's sister were financially sound. He will answer more questions about his examination of financial records Wednesday.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's sister says she had plenty of money to support a struggling real estate venture that has been an issue in her brother's public corruption trial.

Prosecutors say financial problems with two Virginia Beach rental homes drove McDonnell and his wife to take loans from a wealthy businessman who was seeking state-backed research on a dietary supplement made by his company.

But the sister, Maureen C. McDonnell, testified Monday that she earned about $560,000 in 2012 and could easily pay bills on the properties.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Attorneys have opened their defense of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell at his corruption trial by trying to demonstrate that he was open and transparent with his financial records.

A bookkeeper for a real estate partnership owned by McDonnell and his sister testified Monday that the former governor agreed in their first email exchange to give her full access to his bank records. Brenda Chamberlain says it was relatively rare for a client to do so.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The prosecution's star witness in the corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has testified that he never had any intimate physical contact with McDonnell's wife.

Jonnie Williams said Monday that he didn't know Maureen McDonnell had any interest in him until last week. Maureen McDonnell's lawyer said in opening statements that the first lady developed a crush on Williams, who had deceived her into thinking he cared for her.